It was mid day and the sun was high in the sky shining down on world. The seagulls cried out as they fought over food on the Hilton harbor.
Celine, Claude, Rena, Noel, Chisato and Percis sighed. They were on their way to visit Leon in Lacour because he had an amazing new invention and they could even get past the Hilton harbor. Why? Well…
"Ahh lovely barrels! So smooth and fragrant of wood…" Ashton murmured as he happily latched himself to an empty barrel.
Yes it was the barrels. Hilton's harbor was filled with lots of them. All empty and all laying in plain view. Do you honestly think Ashton could resist?
"Ashton you dumbie c'mon! We've got to go visit Leon!" Celine screamed right in Ashton's ear.
But of course Ashton didn't hear her. He didn't hear anything. All that he could see and hear were the barrels in front of him. He zoomed from one to another 'hugging' them all. Gyoro and Ururun were not impressed. They had tried to get him to snap out of it, even going as far as biting Ashton. But that didn't work. Ashton was completely oblivious to everything around him.
"He's not listening at all." Claude observed.
Everyone sighed again.
"But how do we get his attention? I can't believe he'd just ignore us like that." Rena frowned.
"I don't think he's ignoring us. I'm pretty sure that he doesn't hear or see anything besides those barrels at the moment." Noel pointed out more or less referring to the bite marks from Gyoro and Ururun.
"Well we have to get his attention somehow! Otherwise we'll be late meeting Leon!" Percis cried out.
"Unless you're a barrel Ashton isn't going to see you." Chisato joked.
Celine grinned. "I have an idea!" Celine marched over to Ashton and his barrels and went to one of the barrels he hadn't looked at yet. Seeing how Ashton was going to each one Celine chose one that he was going to look at next. She hopped into the barrel and pulled the lid over her. And she waited.
Ashton didn't see any of this. He was still off in his own little world where his beautiful barrels were everywhere. He went to the one that had Celine in it and rubbed his face up against it. "This one is made of cedar…" Ashton murmured.
Celine popped the lid off and started to yell. "Ashton Anchors! Stop this stupid obsession at once! We have to get to Lacour to meet Leon!" Celine screamed.
Ashton blanked out for a moment and looked up. He saw a very angry Celine staring back at him standing in the barrel. And then he looked at the barrel again. Then back at Celine. "AHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!" Ashton screamed recoiling backwards.
"Very clever Celine! That got his attention!" Rena grinned.
Ashton whose eyes were as wide as saucers; was huddled against a wall was mumbling incoherently. Gyoro and Ururun just shook their heads.
"Well we'd better get going to Lacour then. It's still a long walk from here." Claude suggested.
"C'mon Ashton! We're leaving without you!" Percis yelled walking off with the others.
Ashton didn't get up, he was still huddling on the floor.
"Geez Ashton you're so annoying." Celine grabbed him by his shirt and started to drag him.
"Celine in a barrel… Celine in a barrel… Bad… very bad… bad thoughts…" Ashton mumbled.
Little did Celine know just how badly she warped Ashton's barrel fantasies.